Behaviors

Earlier this year, I completed a series of courses on earlychildhood behaviors. I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship and I gladlyaccepted the challenge. Not only was the program beneficial for my career as aschool teacher, it was very helpful with my weekly efforts working with adultsduring Spinning workshops.

Unwanted behaviors are usually demonstrated when a person isnot being fulfilled either cognitively or physically. In the classroom, thestudents rotate to different centers every fifteen minutes to not only helpthem develop wider skill bases, but to keep them engaged with new materialsthat help keep them focused.

My simple recommendation to new instructors is very similarto this daily classroom strategy. If adverse behaviors like talking, looking atdevices, high cadences, and not following routines are challenges that are seenin your class, I advise the following.

1: Quickly begin to develop split symbol activities based ononly two or three symbols. Introduce them once or twice so you can reinforcethe intended order, and then begin to repeat them with increased tempos made ofeither higher cadences or shorter performance times.

2: Stand up repeatedly but with short durations. Begin withfive seconds of standing, then progress to ten, and finally fifteen. Change thebasic symbol and repeat this sequence again.

3: Develop a consistent transition movement between songs.Jumps work well in these situations. As a song starts to fade and/or a roadnears completion, go immediately into your designated transition movement:Jumps, Running with Resistance, or thirty seconds of cadence building.

The key to dealing with distracting behaviors is to directthe actions toward desired results. Repetitive activities limit confusion whileallowing for increased intensity. As each repetition series begins to lose its’novelty, move to the next split or activity as quickly as possible. If youremain outwardly calm and attentive to your direct coaching prompts, you’llmake a lot of progress toward limiting unwanted student behaviors.